A Tiger In Vegas (First Draft)

The huff that escaped Shawn's chest was a protest to having to be the adult to six full-grown boys his age. Dammit, Julie is so going to owe me for this. Shawn's head bobbled ever so slightly as the smile and subtle chuckle found amusement in the whole situation. Since when did I become the mature one? Golf, craps, a show, strip clubs, and who knows what else was going to be packed into the next - a quick glance at his watch gave him the answer - fifty-seven hours until the rehearsal dinner. Jake was a good guy and made Julie happy, but this last hurrah had The Hangover movie written all over it. A slow shake of the head was the only acknowledgment Shawn was willing to give to Team Jake's regression into teenage immaturity. The boom of their voices rattled the airport windows more than the planes taking off and landing. These guys were a barely contained riot.

"Hey, Shawn! Check out that redhead in front of you!"

Geeeeeeezus did Jake really need to shout that so all of Chicago could hear?

Shawn's head slumped forward as he watched the redhead and her coworker look around. Seriously, like the hot flight attendant with hair forged in the devil's fire was hard to miss even if she wasn't four people in front of me.

"Go get her Shawn she's hot!"

Bill Willie threw in his two cents. "Go Shawn woof woof woof! Get her boooooooooy!"

A disgusted snort escaped as Shawn curled his lips inward. Dozens of heads in the terminal turned and sneered, to watch the group of prepubescent boys in their late twenties act like morons. Shawn wasn't even sure if it was a good thing or not that he was across the way as he waited in line to get a coffee. This behavior was beyond inappropriate. It's one thing to have fun but they were just being ridiculously obnoxious now.

When the two flight attendants got to the counter Shawn walked up and handed the cashier his card. "Please allow me, ladies. I need to apologize for Jack from Lord of the Flies and his crew over there. He means well, but I am sorry for any embarrassment or anything. Please allow me to get your coffee and anything else you wanted to get."

Cocking her eyebrow, the redhead skeptically questioned. "Anything?!"

"Well, unless it has raisins in it, not sure I can condone that sort of travesty, but hey look who I'm traveling with, people in glass houses shouldn't throw raisins...well except in the trash but to each their own right. So yes, anything."

The other flight attendant quickly put her hand in front of her mouth and slightly turned away, but could not stop the small giggle from escaping. The redhead's stoic resolve remained unphased. Her eyes surveyed Shawn from head to toe before her eyes locked onto his. Shawn shifted in his stance and stood taller, suddenly feeling like he was being evaluated in a much deeper way than he could comprehend. The subtle movement of her eyes was a clear sign she was sifting thru several layers searching for something. The slight nod of her head indicated when she found it.

A small smirk curled the corner of her lip before she turned to the cashier and added a cinnamon bun to her order. Shawn thanked the ladies and handed the cashier his card and proceeded to pay for the coffee for the three people he jumped ahead of before he completed the transaction. Shawn said one more apology and thank you to the two ladies as they picked up their drinks before he turned to make his way to his group of idiots.

"Thank you, Tiger." carried over the sounds of the busy terminal. Turning, Shawn saw the redhead hold up her coffee, which brought a smile to his face. That smile was quickly replaced with a headshake as Team Jake was there to pounce on the situation. In what could best be described as a scene that would have made a locker room of fourteen-year-old boys sharing a nude pic seem like an act of high society civility, ten minutes of being the focus of endless teasing was the price Shawn paid for his interaction with the flight attendant. He never got her name, for he never asked. It didn't seem appropriate to ask for her number after his travel companions made such a scene. Besides she's a flight attendant. The logistics made it an on-again, off-again long-distance, whatever. A what-if that never was.

Eventually, the boarding call was a welcome reprieve as Team Jake made their way to the plane. Shawn found himself smiling as the memory of her smile played inside his mind. His first time in first class was going to be just the tonic to put the morning behind him and get into Vegas mode. Shawn found himself about twenty feet ahead of the pack on the gangplank. Turning the corner, there waiting for him was that smile that sent a rush thru him, those delectable curves he could spend a lifetime exploring and flame-kissed hair that begged to be played with and pulled. Did her smile just get bigger when she saw me? Every step brought him closer to her as the sound of the impending stampede of immaturity closed in. The adults masquerading as ruckus boys were going to erupt when they see the impending awkward and embarrassing moment just a few feet in front of Shawn. This day just couldn't get any frakking better.

"Welcome aboard Tiger."

A quick smile and a muted good morning were all Shawn could muster as he saw her name tag said Desi before he hurried to his seat. He had already embarrassed himself in front of her once today, and the way his luck was going, she would be the one that was in charge of the first-class section. Three hours and thirty minutes, two hundred and ten minutes, and 1500 miles of making sure not to stare at her and calling as little attention to himself as possible to avoid any additional embarrassment. The whooping and hollering rumbled into the plane behind him as Team Jake stampeded onto the plane. A few teasing Tiger comments fluttered about the cabin as the rebellious rogues found their seats. Several disapproving looks and a couple of sneers formed on some of the fellow passengers' faces as they walked thru the recycled air of testosterone and immaturity. The rest of the fellow cattle made it into the tin can and it wasn't long before the flight attendants were going over all the safety information. Sure enough, there she was doing the airline version of Vanna White. Shawn's eyes kept drifting to Desi. Her legs just seemed to continue as his gaze drifted up. Her hips seemed to both stretch and cling to what should have been a classy and demure skirt. Shawn was fully aware he shouldn't be so hung up on her looks, but damn she was gorgeous. The toned-down outfit did nothing to hide what obviously had inspired thousand of inappropriate thoughts and a few filthy fantasies over the years. Their eyes met for a moment and Shawn was back in the fifth grade trying to muster up the nerve to cross the gym's no man's land over to the girl's side to ask Suzy Wozniak if she wanted to dance. What the hell dude? What are you doing? Grow the fuck up and settle down.

Putting on his headphones, Shawn let himself get lost in the music as the flight took off. The melodic beat bathing his soul was somehow interrupted. Opening his eyes, he pulled off his headphones and tilted his head ever so slightly as his mind tried to pick up that morsel of information it missed.

"What can I get you, Tiger?"

Shaking his head as he tried to jumpstart his mind into the present. Lifting his head towards her but averting his eyes "Oh, um just a water, please. Thank you."

"You shy there Tiger. I don't bite, well not when I'm on duty."

The devilish smirk that pulled at the corner of her lip triggered his want to say something witty and laced with a subtle double entendre. Subconsciously he curled his lips in as he suppressed his retort and let the awkward silence grow. Placing the water on his tray did nothing to break the silence as his distracted mind even forgot his natural reflex to say thank you. Looking up at her, it was not lost on him that she seemed to be taking delight in this self-imposed limbo he seemed to be in as she waited for an answer.

For gawd sakes dude say something...ANYTHING.

"No. Just you are working and you're gorgeous and sexy and probably get hit on a dozen times a flight". Shawn's cadence hastened as his words tried to outrun his rambling mind. "I mean you're not just gorgeous. I mean there's so much more to you than being sexy. And I'm sure you're used to dealing with rowdy passengers all the time and not just because you are gorgeous oh dear gawd someone shut me up please." Shawn's whole upper body seemed to crumple like a soda can being run over by a car before he took a large breath and let out an exhausted sigh. "That guy in the bright yellow shirt is getting married this weekend in Vegas and this is his bachelor party before so these guys are all wound up and I just want to apologize in advance they really are a great group of people when they are well normal. A muffled chuckle convulsed in his chest as he found humor in the 'normal' comment. A quick pat on his shoulder accompanied an affirmation that his friends weren't anything she couldn't handle was the last of that exchange as she mercifully moved on to the next row. If he could have facepalmed himself he probably would have. Sooooo smooth, and seamless subject change. Not obvious at all. Dumbass!

The rest of the flight was music, witnessing a cute exchange with Desi calming a young passager, and a couple of stolen glances her way. Then it was the insane stampede of everyone trying to get off the plane as if they wouldn't have to wait for their luggage anyway. A smile and thank you were exchanged between Shawn and Desi as he got off the plane. It wasn't too long before the traveling circus boarded the shuttle to the hotel so they get the ill-advised behavior and debauchery underway. Shawn's phone buzzes and there's a message from a number he doesn't recognize. A smile creeps across his face as he reads her text.

Hey Tiger - Your groom friend gave me your number. Question is why didnt you ask?

Shawn's fingers clumsily fly into action - You were working and figured there was probably a policy against you giving out your number. Am sure you are asked a dozen times a flight and i didnt want to put you in a position to be perceived as unprofessional or something. I think my incoherent babbling earlier pretty much laid out how attractive i find you. Besides what guy could resist a sexy redhead?

Several of Team Jake glance over as Shawn chuckles at her reply of holy War and Peace are all your texts this long. Letting his finger mumble his reply - Well if I asked for your number i was afraid you would have counted the coffee and cinnamon bun as our first date. And next thing you know your "to good" for the dollar menu let alone the full happy meal on our second date. Seeing his typo he sent a second text correcting your to you're.

"A second date huh? Little presumptuous isn't it So you are already planning a second date are you there Tiger " His reply of nope not yet planning a second date was met with the dreaded...typing and then no reply. Context, context, context you friggin idiot! Trying to be cute in text never works! Shawn quickly tried to explain he wasn't thinking of the second date because he was still trying to plan a great first date. The conversation continued and the rest of the ride to the hotel was a scene that would be repeated during every stolen moment over the next two and a half days. Shawn would smile at his phone as he and Desi talked back and forth at every possible moment.

Checking in and hearing about her younger brother. A couple of hours of blackjack and learned about how after she graduated college she just up and became a flight attendant because she wanted to see the world. Buffet and talking about all her hobbies and travels. Magician/comedian show and past relationships. Late night texting from bed and hearing her open up about her dad's death when she was eight and a half. How mom was always working and never around, so she had to basically raise her younger brother. The two of them continued to text during all the activities the scroll of messages just grew and grew. There was an endless back and forth as day turned into night and then early morning. Shawn had a big grin tattooed to his face and smiled with every new message. Time seemed to fly and with no face tattoos or jail sentences, the boys had made it to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. Now it was just a matter of getting all the guys to the event space.

The Vegas heat smacked the guys in the face like a jealous lover as they rambled out of the Uber. Trying to get an Uber for six guys on the spur of the moment would have taken too long and Shawn was glad he had planned ahead. Checking his watch. Ha! Twelve minutes to spare. The venue was gorgeous and so much more Julie than Jake. Chuckling, Shawn pictured Jake planning the wedding and pulling a Honeymoon in Vegas kind of thing. We're the fllllllying Elvis's! Utah Chapter. Smiling, Shawn was lost in the memory of how his family would watch that movie every year on the anniversary of his parent's first date. His internal world was jolted when he couldn't tell if what he saw was real if he was dehydrated and hallucinating, or just plain dreaming. There she was. Flame-kissed hair, fiery attitude, and an emerald dress that clung to her every curve like Vegas heat in July.

"Well, don't you clean up nice Tiger."

"Wha-how-what brings you here?"

"Well good to see you too there Tiger."

"Uh oh sorry." Shaking his head Shawn tried to regain his composure. "Sorry, you totally caught me off-guard. It's so great to see you and you look aaaaa-mazing. What brings you here?"

Julie's voice pierced the early evening air. "D! Oh thank gaaaaawd you brought it. The wedding planner was going to kill me." Turning towards Jake, Julie let out a little excited squeal that probably sent dogs two counties over, into heat. "Baaaaby!" Her arms wrapped around Jake's neck and she planted several days' worth of kisses on his lips.

Shawn smiled as the happy couple do what happy couples do, copious amounts of PDA. Julie was so amped up that it was like her whole body was humming and electrifying the entire venue. She's gotta be so excited and stressed and ready for this to be over. Julie turned towards Shawn and smiled.

Julie was a hugger, so Shawn braced for the inevitable and she didn't fail in squeezing him tightly. "Thank you for getting him here on time. Annnnnd I see you've finally, finally, finally met D."

Shawn's forehead crinkled as part of his lips puckered like he just drank lemon juice. The quizzical look on Shawn's face spoke volumes about how he heard the words but hadn't yet fully comprehended them. Turning to Desi, then looking at Julie and back to Desi. "So you are the famous D? You're Julie's friend D. People call you Desi and your full name is Desire. But Julie calls you D."

"Well, Desire isn't just my name, Tiger, it's my superpower." The vixen within let her charm be displayed in an irresistible smirk.

"So" Shawn's shoulders sank as he failed to yet make the connection. Sparks jumped and ignited all over his body as Desi rubbed his arm as the two ladies were practically giggling as they watched the gears slowly churn inside Shawn's head.

Julie mercifully helped Shawn fill in the blanks. "The is the D I keep telling you about. Travels a lot...works for an airline. Funny, sassy, sexy redhead that sends those postcards from all over the world. One of my best friends. Known her since the 5th grade. The one I've been telling you to ask out on a date for nearly two years now. THAT D. She's part of the bridal party and" with a playful shoulder bump into Shawn "you just so happen to get to be the one that gets to escort her down the aisle as we all make our way out after the ceremony and are sitting next to her at the head table."

Giving Shawn a playful hip bump, there was an undercurrent of giddiness in Desi's voice. "Can you handle that Tiger and make sure I get out the door ok. Better yet, can you handle me Tiger?"

Without missing a beat Shawn replied. "Oh hell no, but hey least I will have gone with a smile." With that everyone escaped to the air conditioning and stood around for a very long forty-five minutes as the wedding coordinator and officiant went through all the steps everyone will be doing in eighteen short hours. The event coordinator ushered everyone to the rehearsal dinner space. Desi and Shawn made their way around the ceremony space and grabbed the few items they had been tasked to be in charge of during the ceremony and make sure no one left anything.

"So you going to behave tonight Tiger?" Her tone dripped with a cocktail of sweetness, sin, and sassy that made Shawn's head spin.

"Well, one I'm a good boy and we both know if anyone is going to be getting into trouble tonight it's you. I already have the Vegas PD on high alert. I will probably just order some pay-per-view porn. Ha just kidding no one ever pays for porn. I will probably just get out my clean socks and put on a sock puppet show on how I see the ceremony will go tomorrow. Pretending his hands were puppets, Shawn got into character "Do you Julie Sockerton take Jake Gymsock to have and to smell for as long as you both cover feet. And Jake do you...oh hell yeah" At that point he Shawn pretended to have his to hands making out before the Jake puppet hand made a loud CHOMP sound and engulfed the other hand.

A giggle-snort escaped Desi as she couldn't help herself after witnessing that ridiculous display. Her eyes went wide and her jaw drop at the sound of a carbon copy of her giggle-snort being impersonated. The utter shock hadn't worn off but didn't stop Desi from trying to playfully push Shawn. Instead, his hands caught her arms and instantly his arms engulfed her and held her close.

The entire world seemed to go silent as their two bodies were pressed close. Both sets of lungs struggled to function under the weight of the building anticipation. Their eyes danced and moved as they saw deeper and deeper into each other. Worlds started to open up to each other. An unseen force pulling them together like magnets was the only sense of gravity. Silence reigned as what wasn't said was deafening. His thumb grazed her cheek and his hand held her head as she looked up at him. A slow descent of his lips to hers seemed like a lifetime overdue. Their kiss was a building storm. The softness of those first few minutes of a rainshower before the thunder in their heartbeats and lightning. The primal hunger in their touch threatened to rage uncontrolled. Two souls were lost in a pure and raw moment. Two moved as one as they fed off each other's want.

Shawn pulled back as his breath still hadn't caught up to him. "I'm, I'm so sorry that was so inappropriate I shouldn't have done that. Time and place. Sorry." His head slumped and his entire posture changed like a man defeated as he retreated a quarter of a step. Before Desi could reply the wedding coordinator rushed in as if someone's life depended on what she was about to say. Everyone was waiting on them. Oh gawd dammit! Perfect frakking timing and heaven forbid the fancy schmancy chicken blabbity blah blah has to wait to be consumed for five gawd damn minutes. Not like we are right in the middle of something. Frakk me! Now the two of them were somehow endangering the delicate timeline the wedding planner had budgeted for. The silence was a sickly hollow as the three of them hastily made their way to the dining room.

Well, that went SOOOOOO well dumbass! He had tasted a lifetime of happiness on those lips and now it was like he was dangling over the edge of a cliff and that opportunity was slowly slipping thru his finger before plummeting into the abyss. The chatter of people laughing, the clang of silverware on fancy flatware, and the drone of making small talk only added to the uneasiness ricocheting within him. The smile was a mask he was wearing for Julie as part of him internally chastised his stupidity. He couldn't stop stealing glances over to Desi wanting to explain and say everything that needed to be said. Instead, he was reduced to that third-grade boy who could only see a girl from afar and open his mouth only to have no words come out. The occasional fake laugh and nod of the head were all he could muster aside from fidgeting and playing with the silverware. The impossible task of wanting to be able to time travel back to that moment and explain haunted his present. The guilt of it all and the pain of Desi never looking over at him soured and curdled the delicious meal in him. As each course was brought out, it was more chance for the knife to be twisted in him. As everyone wrapped up dessert Jake whisked all the groomsmen to an awaiting ride. And with that Desi was gone.